Forbidden
by Embyr7
Summary: Set in the olden days. Chloe is a house-maid, and Alek is of noble blood, arranged to marry Mimi since childhood. But what happens when forbidden feelings bloom between them? Will they give up everything just to be together? Or will Mimi interfere? No Mai
1. Burned

"Miss King." Mr. Petrov's voice rang through the air. I sighed softly and turned around, putting on a smile.

"Yes, Mr. Petrov?"

"Go fetch some tea from the kitchen, will you? Lady Miriam has a raw throat."

"Make sure there's lemon in it! And I want it _piping hot._" Mimi's shrill voice rang out from beside Aleksandr on the couch. She was basically sitting all over him, continuously stroking his strong arm. Alek looked a little uncomfortable, but only one who had been working with him for years, like Chloe, could know. You see – Chloe's father died while delivering a message in the rain. The lightning and thunder had scared his horse half to death, and his steed slipped on the wet rocks and sent him flying, causing him to hit his head and bleed there, with no one to find him. Chloe's mother had died giving birth to her, so basically Chloe was alone.

Nobody in her family wanted Chloe – not her aunts, uncles, cousins. To them she was just another mouth to feed. After all, she was just a girl. What could a woman do?

So she roamed the streets, starving, begging for food, until one day Jasmine found her and brought her back home. Alek wouldn't let Chloe stay for free, but he allowed her to work there in exchange for a room and food.

"Of course, Mr. Petrov." Chloe smiled, curtsied, and turned her back to them. Her face immediately dropped and she rolled her eyes, internally scoffing. Chloe made her way down the grand estate, pushing open the doors that led to the kitchen.

"Boil some water for the tea, please." Chloe called out to the cook, whose name was Christopher. Everybody called him Kit. "Lady Miriam has a raw throat."

"Of course." The Kit called back, getting the kettle.

"I'll be back for it shortly." Chloe sent the chubby man a grateful smile, and he flashed his smile at her warmly. Then Chloe made her way back up the stairs and to Jasmine's room.

"Ms. Petrov?" Chloe rapped on the door softly with her knuckles.

"Come in, Chloe!"

She smiled and made her way in. Other than Amelia and Paul, Jasmine was her only friend. Not to mention she was of noble blood. Amelia, who Chloe called Amy, worked in the garden, collecting herbs and roots. Paul was a gardener, so they got to see each other more often. Chloe worked inside, though, tending to Alek and Jasmine's needs. Their parents were almost constantly away on business, so Chloe didn't see much of Mr. and Mrs. Petrov.

"Do you need help dressing, Ms. Petrov?" Chloe asked sweetly, closing the door behind her. Jasmine rolled her eyes.

"Alek's not around, you can call me Jazz now."

Chloe shrugged. "Just making sure." She came over and tightened Jasmine's corset, tying the ribbons into neat little bows. Then she got the dress that was lying on Jazz's bed, which was an emerald green color with black lace trimmings. It flowed down to the floor, wrapping around her legs.

She helped Jasmine put her dress on and did her hair in an intricate braid for her. After they were done, they sat on Jasmine's bed and talked.

Jasmine Petrov, sister of Aleksandr Petrov, was not your normal snotty noblewoman. She was sincere, she was sweet, she liked people for who they were, not by their social class.

She was everything her brother was not.

"Chloe! Where's the tea?" A muffled voice shouted. Chloe shot up and looked at the clock. 9:47. Shoot. had been twenty minutes already?

"Oh my goodness." Chloe exclaimed, jumping off the bed. "I'll talk to you later, Ms. Petrov!" She shouted, running down the stairs, lifting her annoying skirts so she wouldn't trip and fall. She sprinted for the kitchen and quickly grabbed a lemon, slicing it in half. She set it on the tray with the kettle and some cups, and got a spoon and honey for good measure, knowing it was Alek's favorite. Maybe that would allow him to overlook the lateness.

She quickly made her way up the stairs and knocked on their door.

"Finally," she heard Miriam mutter.

"Come in." Alek answered.

Chloe had to balance the tray in one hand, and quickly open the door with the other. She came in to see Mimi fully on Alek's lap now, and it took all of her will power not to wrinkle her nose in annoyance. They weren't kissing or doing anything innapropriate – oh, no. That would be much too damaging to their reputation. They wouldn't – until they wed each other.

And right now, reputation is all a man has.

"Took you quite a while." Miriam sneered.

"I'm sorry, Lady Miriam, next time I'll urge the water to boil faster." Chloe retorted. She instantly wanted to take it back.

Mimi stood up, eyebrow cocked.

"_Excuse_ me?" She slowly walked over to Chloe, her huge, puffy skirts knocking things off the table and onto the floor. Alek stood up, too, eyes wary.

Instead of showing fear, Chloe simply shrugged.

"It isn't my fault the water wasn't boiling fast enough for you. Next time I'll try and urge it on."

Suddenly, the tray was flipped out of her hands, the steaming water splashing all over the front of her body. Chloe shrieked and fell to the ground, hugging her knees for a few moments.

Her chest, stomach, and parts of her thigh were_ burning._ She looked down, and parts of her skin were already peeling away. It was kind of a numb feeling, and her skin was tingling.

Not very pleasant.

Chloe raised her piercing blue eyes up to the smirking Miriam's face. She bit her tongue so hard it hurt – she so badly wanted to slap that smirk off of the pathetic trollop's face and call her every unkind word there was.

"You seemed a bit hot, dearie. Thought I might...cool you off."

Chloe raised her eyebrows. "That was _boiling hot water." _She spat out.

"My bad. I'm so terribly sorry." Miriam laughed. Chloe looked up at Alek, wondering if he would do anything. She had been working for him for years, he would come in her defense, wouldn't he? But he just stood there, staring. There was an odd emotion in his eyes that Chloe couldn't quite place. He was gnawing on his lips, his chocolate brown eyes locked on her, but his gaze was unfocused.

Without being dismissed or excusing herself, Chloe picked herself off the ground and exited the room, tears threatening to spill out of her eyes.

So that was it. Aleksandr Petrov was a heartless fool, who did not care in the slightest what happened to her. To any of his workers. He probably wouldn't even care if anything happened to Jasmine.

All he cared about was his reputation. Of what the community would think of him. And if he was kind to one of his workers? He would be seen as weak, not the powerful man he wanted so badly to be.

Meanwhile, Alek stood in the room, half-ready to go after Chloe. Just before she had left, a tear had escaped her eye and slid down her cheek. An odd feeling of protectiveness overcame Alek, but all he could do was stare after her while Mimi laughed.

"I ask you not to physically harm my workers again." Alek said through clenched teeth. He needed Miriam on his side – she was probably going to wed him one day, it was for the best of his reputation. That is what he has been hearing since he was a child – his mother probably already planned their wedding.

Then why did doing what was best for his reputation feel wrong for his heart?

He knew he didn't love this girl.

She was horrid – the only good thing he could say about her was that she was from noble blood, and she was attractive. He quickly made up an excuse and got her to leave his estate, and cleaned up the tea and cups himself.

He saw Chloe had even put honey on the tray – she knew that it was his favorite. He quickly brought the tray down to the kitchen, and they thanked him for being so kind to clean it up, astonished that he was doing something out of the goodness of his heart for once.

"Have any of you seen...Ms. King anywhere?" he asked quietly. All of his kitchen staff turned and stared at him. It was the first time he had actually asked them a question not relating to an errand or chore.

"No...not since she brought up the tea. Did something happen?" The cook asked.

"No. Forget I said anything."

Alek walked back up the stairs to Chloe's small, dusty room. He heard water running and realized Mimi must have burned her, badly.

Normally Alek wouldn't care, but there was something different about Chloe King – how she actually had the nerve to stand up for herself against Miriam was...astounding.

Should he go in? Should he knock?

He pressed his back against the door and listened, and heard sobs. His eyebrows crinkled together and he looked down. This was partially his fault – he should try and fix it.

And before he could convince himself out of it, he opened her door and stuck his head inside. Chloe had her undergarments on already, but he could see her stomach and thighs were peeling and red. He quickly looked away, closing the door.

He was wracked with even more guilt, now. One because he saw her without her dress on, and two because her burns looked extremely painful. He quickly went to the medicine cabinet and pulled out a cream that soothed burns.

He walked to Chloe's room, set the small bottle of cream on the floor, knocked on her door, and walked away before she could see him.

**Hi guys! :D **

**Yep. I know. I know. New story.**

**BUT I was inspired after watching this kind of like, mid-evilish movie, and yea![:**

**This FF will have lots of chapters, and in this Alek and Jasmine are brother and sister, not cousins. **

**Also, there are no Mai. They live somewhere in England, so they all have that fancy British talk. And this is set way-back-when, so their talking is kind of formal, too.**

**Anyways: Please review and tell me what you think of this story?[: **

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	2. Of Sickness and Nightmares

_He walked to Chloe's room, set the small bottle of cream on the floor, knocked on her door, and walked away before she could see him. _

Chloe was in her bathroom, inspecting her burns. It was red, itchy, and her skin was peeling.

Good lord, it was unattractive. She grimaced, massaging them slightly. Tears were flowing steadily down her face, and she hiccuped, trying to hold in her ridiculously loud sobs.

Her door creaked open slightly – but she thought nothing of it. It was probably Amy or Lady Jasmine coming to check on her. But it quickly slammed shut.

She turned around, puzzled. Then, she heard a knock on her door. She quickly slipped on her old gown, and opened the door. Nobody was there.

"Hello?" she called out. "Ms. Jasmine?"

Chloe stepped out a little, only to almost trip over something. She looked down, and lifted her foot. There was a bottle of burn ointment.

Chloe laughed in delight. She picked it up and closed my door again, unscrewing the cap. It smelled strongly of mint and chemicals – it was the good kind of medicine, not some mushed up herbs. The kind that only upper class ladies and men could afford. She quickly squirted some out on her fingers and rubbed it onto her burns, which immediately soothed and stopped stinging so badly. Chloe sighed in pleasure, her pain reduced greatly.

She quickly smoothed out her dress and set the bottle on her dresser, and walked towards Jasmine's room. She knocked.

"Come in," Jasmine answered.

Chloe wondered why she had run away after she set the medicine on the floor for her.

She walked in and smiled at her – she was sitting on a chair reading.

"Thanks for the medicine, Jazz," she said gratefully.

She looked up from her book, her face going from thoughtful to shocked.

"I beg your pardon?" She blinked.

Chloe cocked her head to the side. "The burn medicine that you set down for me at my door just a few minutes ago."

"I...I'm sorry, Chloe, but I've been in here since you left," Jasmine shook her head slowly. It was Chloe's turn to blink in confusion. What?

Who was it, then? And who was it that opened her door?

It was probably the same person, and that person had probably seen her in her undergarments.

"Oh. Well, I'm sorry then. I just thought it was you, since it was medicine only nobles could afford..." she trailed off. Had Amy or Paul stolen it for me?

"It could have been Alek." Jasmine suggested.

Chloe couldn't help but snort. "I doubt it, Jazz."

Suddenly, a kitchen staff appeared in the doorway.

"Chloe! Mr. Petrov called for you."

Speak of the devil, and the devil shall appear. she sighed and looked at Jasmine.

"I'll be right back, Ms. Petrov. Thank you for letting me know, Elise." she smiled at the round, happy girl.

"It was my pleasure." she replied.

Chloe made her way to Alek's bedchamber, hesitantly knocking on the door.

"Come in," came his muffled reply. She opened the door and softly shut it behind ger. Alek was on the bed, sitting up, leaning against his bed frame.

"Hello," He said.

"What did you need, Mr. Petrov?" she asked.

"I have a slight headache...could you get my some medicine? It feels like my head is pounding." He said. It was then that she noticed his sweaty face, trembling hands, and his uneven breathing.

"Of course!" she blinked. "I'll go get that right now."

Chloe quickly exited his room and made her way to the medicine cabinet, pulling out a bottle of fever and headache pills. She also went downstairs to the garden and got some herbs that's supposed to calm your stomach. She brought it back up to his room, not even bothering to get a tray, juggling the bottle, the herbs, a cup of tea, a cup of water, and a warm rag in my arms.

She stumbled into his room, and made her way to his desk, gently placing down the materials. She closed his door again.

"When did your headache come on, Mr. Petrov?" Chloe asked, grinding the herbs down in my hands to extract the juice, squeezing it into the tea.

"Right after I got you your burn medicine," came his weak reply.

A reply that made her stiffen, standing up straighter.

So it was he that got it for her.

Was it he that looked into her room, also?

Her neck turned crimson with embarrassment. She had had barely any clothes on!

"That was very kind of you, sir. I thank you." Chloe said, wiping off my hands and dumping the leaves back onto the desk.

"It was no problem, Ms. King,"

Chloe walked over and made him sip the tea, which he crinkled his nose to.

"It's bitter," he said.

Chloe couldn't help but roll her eyes. "It'll make you feel better. Just drink it."

He complied, downing the cup in another gulp. He started coughing, and Chloe took the cup from him. She got him the pills and made him take two, and gave him some water to sip.

Chloe hesitantly put her hand to his forehead, checking to see if he had a fever. He blinked and stiffened at her touch, but relaxed into her hand afterwards.

His face was uncomfortably warm, but it was nothing serious. Mild fever.

"You have a mild fever, sir. You should rest more," she said gently. She got the damp, warm towel and placed it over Alek's forehead. He sighed when it touched his hot skin.

"I can't. I have to meet with the landlord at seven, and then the town mayor at eight." Alek said, closing his eyes.

"Is it important?"

He nodded.

"It can wait." Chloe decided.

Alek cracked an eye open.

"You don't even know what we're going to discuss." He said.

"Still. Everybody waits for the Petrov family. The Petrov family is practically royalty. You can delay the meetings, just until tomorrow." Chloe insisted. She didn't know why she cared so much – she didn't know why it bothered her that Alek was sick because of over exhaustion and stress. But it did.

Alek's mouth twitched.

"I guess you are right, Ms. King. I will send a delivery boy. Thank you. You may leave, now."

She curtsied, gathered up the empty cups and dried herbs, and left the room.

Later that night, Alek woke up. His head felt a lot better, thanks to the medicine, and he felt fine now. He woke up to muffled screams, and made his way out to the hallway. It was coming from downstairs, where the workers slept.

He walked down the stairs, still in his leather riding boots and daytime clothes, and followed the noise. It led to Chloe's room. He thought of the way she had been so gentle with him, how she took care of him. He hadn't expected her to...care so much.

She even insisted that he stopped working for a couple of hours.

It was about four A.M. now, and he felt more rested than he had ever felt in weeks. He quickly opened the door, eyes roaming for an intruder.

But he saw nobody, except for Chloe.

Chloe was thrashing around on her small bed, tears escaping through her closed eyes, whimpering. Alek closed the door and stepped through, flipping on her dim lights that barely lit the room.

"Miss King?" Alek said, standing near the door.

Chloe didn't wake up. He walked over and sat on the edge of her bed, grabbing one of her hands.

"Chloe!" Alek shouted, shaking her. She sprung straight up, her eyes widening. She gasped and pulled her hand out of Alek's, hurriedly wiping her tears away.

"I'm sorry I woke you," she mumbled, hiding her face behind her hair. They were silent for a few minutes, with an occasional sniffle from Chloe.

"It's alright," Alek said softly. He hesitantly brushed back a wild curl from her face, and she looked at him in suspicion. "Are you hurt?"

She sighed and shook her head. "Just a nightmare."

"May I ask what it was about?"

"My father," Chloe said simply. "I don't mean to offend you, Mr. Petrov, but why...why are you suddenly acting as if you care for me? First the medicine, now this..."

He blinked. Why? He didn't even know himself.

"Maybe it's because I do care for you, Chloe."

With that, he got up and left her room.

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	3. Flashbacks and Confusion

_"My father," Chloe said simply. "I don't mean to offend you, Mr. Petrov, but why...why are you suddenly acting as if you care for me? First the medicine, now this..."_

_He blinked. Why? He didn't even know himself._

_"Maybe it's because I do care for you, Chloe."_

_With that, he got up and left her room._

**Chloe's POV**

I sat back on my bed, my gaze trained on the door. The door that Alek had just walked through.

"Maybe it's because I do care for you, Chloe," he had said.

I groaned and collapsed back onto my bed, rubbing my eyes. My brain was a foggy puddle of confusion and wariness. Could this be a trick? Some sick little game that he was playing? Or it was possible that this was another dream.

I stood up and splashed my face with cold water – which was only about the only type of water we had here. Cold. Cold showers, cold drinking water. It was nice in the summer time, yes, but in the dead of winter, when it was snowing outside, it would be nice to have a hot bath every once in a while, too.

But that wouldn't happen. Servants and maids don't get luxuries like that of the wealthy. I was lucky to have even gotten my own room.

Unable to sleep from both the nightmare and Alek coming in, I walked aimlessly around my room, brushing out my curls, straightening things on my dresser, trying to make myself busy. It was around five thirty in the morning now. Half an hour from the time she would usually wake up.

I just shrugged and peeled off my sweaty night-gown, and slipped into my plain dress for house work. I walked down the stairs into the kitchen, where Kit was already stirring something in a massive pot.

"Good morning, Kit," I smiled.

"Mornin', Chloe!" He grinned back, dancing around my to grab some spice off the spice rack. I grabbed an apple from the basket, and looked at Kit for approval. He nodded and waved his hand, saying it was okay. I bit into it and made my way to Jasmine's room, walking silently up the stairs. I walked into her room and found her sitting up in her bed, rubbing her eyes. I helped her up and grabbed her gown for the day. It was gold with black ribbons lacing it up in the back.

"How was your sleep?" Jazz asked the question every morning, and usually I answered it with a, "Fine. Yours?" But today, it made me jerk back and let go of the ribbons I was tying into a neat bow, making them flutter to the floor.

"It was..." I considered lying to her. I considered telling her it was fine. But other than Amy and Paul, Jasmine was my best friend. If I couldn't confide in her, who could I confide in? "I had a nightmare," I whispered. "And I guess I was screaming and thrashing around a lot, because when I woke up..." I averted my gaze from hers in the mirror we were standing in front of. "When I woke up, your brother was there. And he said some things that really didn't make sense, and then he left."

Jasmine's eyebrows knitted together, and I busied myself by tying her ribbons again.

"What kind of things did he say...?" she questioned.

I bit my lip and brushed some of my hair off my face.

"He said that he 'might actually care for me'," I said, trying to stay calm.

I could tell Jasmine was surprised, but she hid it well.

"Oh," she muttered. "_Oh_."

"Yea," I sighed. "All finished."

Suddenly, she broke out into a smile.

"Do you think he fancies you?" Jasmine asked. I looked at her, and a disbelieving laugh burst from my mouth.

"You can't be serious. Of course not. You and him...you are noble class, wealthy. I'm just...ever since my father died, I'm...well, I'm not," I said. "It's just how it is. The noble and the poor don't exactly mix well. Besides, he has _Lady Miriam," _I spat her name with disdain.

Jasmine rolled her eyes. "Oh, no one likes Miriam. She's just a nasty old hag, is what she is."

I smiled at her.

"_Chloe_!" a deep voice called from a near-by room.

"And that's for me," I sighed, straightening out my skirts. "Can you do your hair by yourself?"

Jasmine nodded and waved me off. "Good luck."

"_Please_, Jasmine. I do this everyday. Last night isn't going to change anything," I sighed. I closed the door behind me and made my way to Alek's room.

I knocked.

No one replied.

"Mr. Petrov?" I called.

"I'm in my study," he shouted back. I turned around and walked to the other door, and opened it.

"Good morning," I said, out of habit, shutting the door behind me.

He just nodded, scribbling down some notes in his notebook. I stood there for a minute, waiting for him to tell me what he wanted. I glanced at the grandfather clock in the left corner of the room.

Five minutes passed.

Then ten.

After fifteen minutes, I cleared my throat. "Mr. Petrov?"

He looked up. "What is it?"

I blinked. "Well...not to be rude, but why exactly did you call me in here?"

A million expressions crossed his face, and he looked as if he was in war with himself. He put his pen down and bit his lip, something I've never seen him to before.

He was always cool and collected, confident.

"Why don't you sit?" He gestured to the chair in front of him. His voice was strangely gentle, soft.

Oh no. Is he going to fire me? This is what he did. He called workers into his office and he told them that they were no longer needed around the estate anymore.

My heart started to pound and my palms got sweaty. I know it didn't really seem like it, but this was all I had. My little room downstairs was all I had. Jasmine...Amy, Paul. They were all I had. Without them, I would be lost. I would have nothing if I was fired from the estate. I would have nothing.

I lowered myself onto the chair and tried to calm my breathing. But it didn't work. I imagined myself on the cold streets again, just like after my father passed away.

I had to dig through trash cans and beg for spare coins. People cast me disgusted glances, and I had felt so lonely. So lonely...I was completely alone in the world. No one talked to me, no one gave me love. Because that's one of the things that humans can not live without.

Love. We can not live without love.

We thrive on it, it is our soul.

And finally, when Jasmine found me on the streets, half-frozen, almost dead, and brought me back to her grand estate, I found love again.

I found my soul again. Jasmine, Amy and Paul. Even Kit. They brought me back to life. Without them, I would just crumble again. The thought of having to go back onto the streets made the back of my eyes burn, and I clenched my fists together so tight that my knuckles turned a yellowy white.

I ducked my head, my curls collapsing onto my face, gnawing my lip viciously to keep from crying. I tried to brace myself for the blow. For his words.

"Chloe?" Alek cocked his head, trying to peek through my hair from across the desk. "What's the matter?"

"Please don't fire me!" I blurted. I peeked up at him through my lashes, tears running down my cheeks. "Please, I'll do anything. Without Amy and Paul, without Lady Petrov, I don't think I could..." I trailed off, a sob escaping through my lips. I turned my head to the side, shoving my hair over my shoulder so it would hide my face. "I'm sorry, I don't..."

Alek sat there, still as a stone. I couldn't even hear him breathing. Then, all of a sudden, he breathed out a little chuckle.

_How dare he? Does he think this is funny? _

"Chloe," he said. He stood up and came over to me, hesitating a foot away from my chair. "I wasn't going to fire you."

Oh.

"What?" I said miserably, wiping my cheeks with my hands. He sighed, and bent down, wiping the tears with his thumb. I recoiled – what is he doing?

"I wasn't going to fire you," he repeated. "I was going to ask you how you were, because of last night. I didn't mean to scare you."

I hiccuped loudly, and gave an embarrassed giggle.

"I'm sorry...I was just so scared that you were going to make me go back into the streets and..."

He looked into my eyes, his amber ones staring into mine.

"I wouldn't make you do that, Chloe. I promise. I'll never leave you to starve in the streets again. Jasmine won't, either. It's alright," he said. His hand was still on my cheek, warm and rough. The fire in the back of the room crackled, filling the silence.

Finally, I couldn't hold it in any longer.

"I don't get it," I whispered.

He blinked, cocking his head to the side, his eyebrows pushed together.

"What don't you get?" he asked.

"Why...I don't get why you're being so kind to me. And why you said that you care last night. Usually, noblemen wouldn't care even if their workers got the black plague, or anything." I explained.

"Oh, the black plague is extremely contagious. I would care if you got it, for then the whole house would get it, too," he half-smiled. I let out a laugh. "In all seriousness, though. I meant what I said last night. There's just...there's something different about you. Something that I like."

Alek was still kneeling in front of me, but he raised up on his feet a little so his face was level with mine.

"I don't think I'm supposed to be feeling the feelings I do for you..." he whispered, inching his face closer to mine. I blinked in surprise, frozen.

_What was he saying? Was Jasmine right? _

_Does Alek have feelings for me? _

"...Mr. Petrov?" I asked quietly.

"Alek," he said. His face was so close to mine that I could smell him, his musky, spicy scent. Shamefully, I wanted to bury my face into his neck and breathe him in.

But I couldn't.

Noblemen and the poor...again, they just can not mix.

"What?" I breathed. I couldn't think right now. I couldn't think, I couldn't move, I could barely breathe.  
>"Call me Alek," he said. He brought up a hand, pulling a few curls behind my ear, then brought it down to the other cheek, so he was cupping my face in-between both his hands now.<p>

He raised himself slightly higher, and then gently pressed his lips to mine. I gasped, but he held my face, standing up so that he was bent over me, removing his hands from my face and putting it on either side of the arm rest, locking me in the chair.

Suddenly, the door slammed open, and he pulled away with a jerk.

**Thanks for all of the reviews, you guys! I hope you liked this chapter! I'm really sorry for the long wait. Review, please! **

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**mysterygirl97: If you liked that part, I'm betting you liked this chapter? They finally kissed...:D Thank you for reviewing.[: **

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	4. I'll Fight For Us

_He raised himself slightly higher, and then gently pressed his lips to mine. I gasped, but he held my face, standing up so that he was bent over me, removing his hands from my face and putting it on either side of the arm rest, locking me in the chair._

_Suddenly, the door slammed open, and he pulled away with a jerk._

**Chloe's POV**

His lips disconnected with mine and I gasped in surprise, his warmth that had been radiating to me in waves suddenly pulled away.

His cheeks were slightly flushed and his lips were parted, his breathing uneven. I was sure that with my paler complexion, my cheeks must have been bright red.

I was scared to see who opened the door. Alek moved to block me from whoever was there, bringing a hand back and resting it on the chair's armrest, telling me not to stand up to see who it was. But I heard her. Oh, I heard her loud and clear.

"Aleksandr..." Lady Miriam's voice rang out shrill and high, screechy. I cringed. "I come to your office to surprise you, and I catch you _locking lips _with another maiden? Can I even call her a maiden? Who is she? Show yourself!"

I sat still, heart pounding, eyes wide. Showing myself could ruin Alek's reputation, badly. Even more than it probably has been.

"She has to do no such thing. She will stay sitting until you leave. Next time you want to visit, I advise you to call first, or send a messenger," Alek said, voice wary but calm.

"Oh?" Miriam sounded disgruntled, and she was breathing more heavily than Alek and I were. I almost giggled. "I am supposed to _marry_ you, Aleksandr. You are supposed to ask for my hand. _It has been this way for years! Years! _Is it because that girl is a challenge? Do you like a challenge? And since I was given to you, you just disregard me with a wave of your hand? If word of this gets out, your reputation with be ruined, ruined!"

I rolled my eyes. She was the most dramatic, squeaky-voiced person I have ever had the misfortune of meeting. But I couldn't help but think about what she said. Was that all I was to Alek? Was I just a challenge – a play thing that he would throw away once he got tired of me? Alek breathed a deep sigh, roughly running a hand through his hair.

"We're supposed to marry? How are we supposed to marry if we _hardly _know each other? We barely _like _each other, not even as friends!" Alek's voice was quiet but hard, passionate. "You don't even know my favorite color, or I yours." _Grey. _"You don't know what type of music I listen to, or what my favorite fruit is, and I don't know yours, either! How are we supposed to be expected to live with each other for the rest of our lives if we know nothing about each other?"

_He listens to classical music and loves the violin the most. His favorite fruit is blueberries. _

I smirked, feeling oddly accomplished at knowing these, forgetting my recent worries.

"Love? Nobody nowadays marries for _love_! It probably doesn't even exist! Love is just a thing they write about in storybooks to entertain! Love does not last in this world, it does not survive!" Miriam shouted. The whole estate could probably hear her now. I wonder what Jasmine was thinking.

"Just because you've never been loved or have loved doesn't mean it doesn't exist!" Alek shouted right back. "Love is a real thing, Miriam, it _does _survive in this world. Love is the strongest thing in the world – it is the hope and the light that pulls us through anything, everything. It is the only thing that keeps some people going on this disgusting planet!"

But I guess that crossed the line with Lady Miriam. She stomped over, her high heels clacking loudly on the floor. She had slammed the door shut in the middle of her first speech – not that it did any good anyway, since she and Alek were shouting so loud that their voices carried on through the thick wooden door.

_Not good._

It was extremely disrespectful for a man to touch a lady without her permission if she wasn't your wife or child. Out of instinct, Alek backed away, giving her room to come straight to me. I widened my eyes and looked around for something to cover my face.

It would be no use anyway. My long, golden locks were unusual in this country, most people had dark hair and dark eyes, like Jasmine. Alek and I were an anomaly – weird for our pale skin, light eyes and blonde hair.

"_Chloe_? That pathetic little slave of yours?" she spat as she yanked me up by my hair. I jerked my head back out of her grip, yanking a few of my own hairs out. I remained unflinching.

"_Don't touch me_," I hissed, glaring at her.

She pointed her dainty little nose in the air and sniffed. "I," Miriam pointed to herself and cocked and eyebrow. "come from noble blood. You? Your parents are dead," she sneered. "and nobody else in your family wanted to take you in. So now you have to work as a slave for the Petrovs, and now you've convinced _my _fiance to kiss you? What, did you blurt out a sad little story to make him feel sorry for you? Or did you just yank him down and force him to?"

I blinked in shock.

That was _low_, using my past against me.

I glared at her, the faint traces of tears in my eyes made my eyes flash.

"Okay, Miriam. _Okay._ For one? It's not like I _chose_ for my parents to die, and it's not like I _chose_ to be unwanted. You didn't _choose_ to be born into a noble family, but you were. I didn't _choose_ to be a 'slave', but it was the only thing I could do to survive. And two? Alek isn't your fiance. He hasn't asked for your hand yet – I don't see a bloody ring on that disgusting little finger of yours. So you have no right to call him your 'fiance' when he isn't."

I didn't say anything about the kiss. If she wanted to believe I had initiated it – so be it. It was for the better, anyway.

Alek stepped in and blocked my body from Miriam's, as if he expected her to hurt me or something.

"I start the kiss. I leaned down and kissed her. You know _why_, Miriam?" he spat her name with distaste. "Because Chloe actually cares about me. She takes care of me when I'm sick, and she's compassionate and full of life, and despite all of the hardships in her life, she's still strong and happy as ever. She's everything you're not."

I blinked, eyes wide. He thought that about me? I didn't even know...

I smiled, my recent tears of sadness turning into tears of joy. All this time, I thought that Aleksandr Petrov was a heartless, uncompassionate man.

But he was the exact opposite. He was kind and caring and...is it bad that all I can think about right now is how _amazing _he smells?

"Fine. Fine then," Miriam was seething now, her face red, fists clenched. "Let's see how this plays out for your reputation."

God, I hate how everything these days is about _reputation_. A man would rather die than ruin his reputation. A woman never goes out without a corset on, or without a fine layer of disgusting white powder covering her face.

_Your image, your reputation, what people think of you._

That's what lives revolved around these days.

And it sickened me.

Alek scoffed. "This isn't going to be good for your reputation, either. All of the men in the country – most of whom are my friends, by the way – will think that there's something wrong with you. They would wonder why I didn't want you. Why I would rather have," he raised his hands up in the air and did quotation marks with his fingers. "a 'slave' than a noble-woman. You would be unwanted, a freak."

I expected Miriam to stomp her foot and cry, or maybe go on another rampage, but she didn't. Instead, she just smirked, a glint in her eye, and said, "We'll see about that." and stalked out.

I heard her screech at one of the workmen to grab her coat, and I rolled my eyes.

Alek and I stayed in our positions for a long time – so long that I memorized the stitching on his white shirt. Finally, he turned around and gently placed his hands on my arms, looking into my eyes.

"Are you alright?" he reached up with his thumbs and wiped the few stray tear marks from my cheeks away.

"I've been better," I smiled drily. He laughed.

"I haven't. I've never been better..." Alek hesitantly reached down and took my hand, and I reassuringly squeezed it. "Because now I have you."

"Aren't you scared? Aren't you scared she's going to tell everybody?" I asked, frowning.

He sighed, looking down. He roughly ran a hand through his hair, working out the knots, and shook his head.

"I don't know...there's a very high chance that she _is _going to tell – I mean, I don't see why she wouldn't - but she's probably going to come up with a plan first. She's probably going to come up with some way to tell the story that puts all of the bad on us, and none on her. It's just how she is. But in the meantime," he smirked and cocked an eyebrow, a dark look crossing his face. "we're going to come up with our own plan."

I smirked back. "And what plan is that going to be?"

He opened his mouth, but nothing came out. "...I have no idea yet. But we'll come up with something."

I laughed, then stopped. I looked him in the eyes.

"But then where does that bring us...? I mean...we can't continue doing this, because...somebody will..." I bit my lip and looked at him, cocking my head to the side.

I expected him to hesitate – I expected him to back away.

But instead he just pulled me into his arms, and his musky scent enveloped me.

"Chloe...I get that you're nervous. I get that. I am too. But...there's just something in my heart that's _pulling _me to you. I...I just can't seem to stay away from you, or get you off my mind for more than a couple minutes. What we have...I'm not sure what it is. But it is not just friendship. I think we have to get to know each other better before we call it love, but...it's so close to it. And I'm willing to fight for this, for us, if you are," he pulled back and looked at me with gorgeous, warm brown eyes.

His words made my heart flutter, and a blush creeped onto my cheeks. He brought a hand up and cupped my face, smiling softly.

"Only if you want us," he whispered.

"Of course I want us," I whispered back, voice trembling. "I want us more than anything..."

He grinned.

"Good. Me too."

Then he leaned down and pressed his lips to mine for the second time. His warm lips already felt familiar, comforting. I wrapped my arms around his neck and smiled into the kiss, and he wound his arms around my waist and pulled me closer.

And this time there were no interruptions.

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	5. Another Unexpected Visitor

_Then he leaned down and pressed his lips to mine for the second time. His warm lips already felt familiar, comforting. I wrapped my arms around his neck and smiled into the kiss, and he wound his arms around my waist and pulled me closer._

_And this time there were no interruptions._

**Alek's POV**

A week passed with nothing from Miriam. Chloe and I were starting to relax a bit now, not looking up, panicked, whenever Jasmine announced that there was a visitor.

Every day I woke up, and immediately I wondered where Chloe was – what she was doing, if she slept well...I was always afraid that she would catch a deadly disease and leave me.

Every single moment I had free time, I would wander around the estate looking for Chloe, and I would steal her away from her job, and we would hold hands and walk around the garden, talking. I knew her better than I knew anybody, and I've told her things that I've never told anybody in my life, nor was I planning to.

She was funny, sarcastic, sweet, selfless, and adorable.

I sighed and got into bed, reaching out with my hand and feeling the empty satin sheets beside me. I longed for Chloe's body warmth there – to hear her soft sighs while she slept, to feel her body, safe and warm, next to mine.

_Soon_, I told myself.

I had been planning for the past few days how, when and if I would tell my parents. They would have to find out eventually. And I would _make _them accept it – they would have to accept it.

We had told Jasmine how we felt about each other about two days before, and my sister beamed so brightly that it looked like her face was going to crack open. I've never seen her smile like that in my whole life, but Chloe didn't seem surprised. They had hugged, and Jasmine took my hands in hers, looked me square in the eye, and said, "Don't mess this one up, brother."

I knew that Jasmine and Chloe had become friends, but I hadn't realized until now how close they were. Suddenly, I heard thumping and whimpering. Familiar noises drifted up, and I sat up, worry clouding my thoughts.

Chloe was having another nightmare.

I sighed and ran a hand through my hair. _Again?_

As I rushed down the stairs, I wondered how long these night terrors have been going on. Have they been happening all these years that Chloe has been staying in the estate? Why am I only hearing her cries now?

I let my mind wander off, and wondered that if Chloe slept in my bed with me, if her nightmares would go away. I would protect her, even in my sleep.

Every single second I was with her, a guilt so strong constricted at my heart whenever I thought of how cruel I was to her. I didn't even know her, yet I treated her so harshly. All those times I ordered her around, not even getting to know her at all. I had thought that was just how it was nowadays – servants were servants, not friends or even companions.

Every time I brought it up, however, Chloe would interrupt me and said that all was forgiven. I shook my head. If I were in Chloe's position, I would never trust her again.

I would hate her and not even make eye contact with her.

But Chloe's somehow found a way to like me, maybe even love me, after everything. I shook my head and smiled to myself, wondering why a girl with a soul so pure was wandering the floor of Earth and not heaven as an angel.

I rushed into Chloe's room, and found that my suspicions were correct. She was thrashing even more violently than last time, and I saw a sheen of sweat cover her pale face.

I quickly closed her door and flipped the dim lights on, and ran over to her bed, nearly tripping over her chair on my way.

"_Daddy!_" she shrieked. "_Where are you? Why did you leave me here all...why did you leave me alone? Promise...you promised...Nobody in this world...I...nobody's left. There's no love...no love in my life." _

"Chloe?" I sat down on her bed and started rubbing her back, trying to wake her gently. My heart constricted at her words.

"_Nobody_..."

"Chloe!" I exclaimed. "People love you. Please, Chloe, wake up. Jasmine loves you. Amy and Paul love you. I bet even Kit loves you. ...I think I love you. I know that in time I will. I'll love you more than I'll ever love anybody. I already do. It'll be strange and shunned, but I don't care."

Chloe's eyes still stayed closed.

I shook her. "Chloe, _wake up_!"

Her bright blue eyes fluttered open, and she didn't even seem surprised to see me here.

She just stared at me, her eyes huge, lips parted due to her heavy breathing, cheeks flushed.

Chloe looked so little in the bed, her sheets tangled around her body. Her curls were wild and untamed, springing everywhere around her head.

"Alek?" she squeaked out.

"Oh, love..." I couldn't stop the affectionate word from slipping out, and once she closed her eyes and leaned into me, I found that I wouldn't have wanted to anyway.

"Are you alright?"

She nodded wordlessly. I pulled her onto my lap, and she threw her arms around my neck, and buried her hot face into my shoulder.

"How long have you been having all of these...nightmares?" I asked her.

"Since...since that day," she croaked out.

Since the day that her father died.

"Chloe," I groaned, rocking her back and forth. "Why haven't you ever told anyone? Do Amy and Paul know about them? Or Jasmine?"

I wanted to protect her from everything. Everything, even herself. And I vowed to myself that I would. I hated that I couldn't stop these nightmares, make them go away.

She shook her head. "I didn't want them to worry."

I smiled gently at her, wondering why I hadn't noticed Chloe's pure, selfless personality until now.

"Sometimes," I brushed a curl away from her face and moved my hand back down to cup her cheek. "You need to let someone take care of you, for a change."

Chloe raised a playful eyebrow. "Oh? And are you going to take care of me, Dr. Petrov?"

I nodded once. "I'll always protect you, Miss King."

Chloe took my solemn expression playfully and laughed.

I grabbed her in my arms and pulled her into my chest. After only a few short weeks with her, we were already so comfortable with each other. "I'm not kidding, Chloe."

She went quiet and wrapped her arms around my neck. I breathed her in – she smelled of lavender and strawberries, and something that could only be described as Chloe. I buried my face in her hair.

"Tell me about it," I pleaded, my voice muffled. "What happened in your nightmare?"

"I've never told anyone about them before," she whispered.

We were silent for a few minutes. I memorized the beats of her heart, and somewhere outside her room I could hear the eery sound of a grandfather clock ticking, echoing down the hallways. I heard someone snoring, and the estate walls were creaking.

Chloe squirmed around, and I shifted her so that I was leaning against her headboard, and she was in my lap, her back pressed to my chest. I wrapped my arms around her and she started fiddling with my fingers with her own.

"It's the same one every time," she started off quietly. "I don't know why I get so scared – I've seen the images, heard the rain, hundreds and hundreds of times. But each time brings a new wave of terror towards me."

I just nodded, knowing she couldn't see me.

"I told you that other night that they're about my father. About what happened to him. How he died in that storm, after being flung off of his horse. His horse. His horse's name was Rae. She was a golden as the sun, and our strongest steed. She was gentle but fiercely protective of my father. In my dream, I'm up on the cliff with them. I'm standing there in my white night-gown, and I can see and hear them, but to them I'm invisible. My father's keeping the letter that he was delivering tucked safe inside his jacket. His hat had flown off of his head, and his riding boots were tattered. Rae's blonde mane was heavy, clinging to her neck with water. I keep seeing Rae rearing up, her front legs kicking, and my father screaming and crashing to the floor. The rain always starts pouring a little harder at this point, and I don't even know how I can still see the scene before me, but I do. My father's head hits the ground so heavily that a crack so loud sounds through the air that it could be mistaken for thunder." Chloe paused and took a shaky breath. She was talking louder now. I squeezed her hand.

"My dream self always moves closer to look at my father. I always want to stop walking forward, but I never do. I can't force myself to stop. I see his eyes roll back into his head, going white. He's convulsing terribly, his limbs flopping around uselessly on the floor. Blood is soaking the back of his head, turning the rain a vile pinkish brown color. I see Rae had fallen too, and is already completely still. And...and then it goes to me begging on the street corner, dressed in my pathetic rags. And then out of no where, my father, sheathed in golden light, walks up to me and pulls me up. I expect him to embrace me, or even say an 'I love you,' like he used to. But he-"

Chloe's voice caught in her throat, and I held her tighter, squeezing my eyes shut. Poor Chloe.

Poor, poor Chloe.

"Stop. You don't have to go on anymore. I get it," I whispered.

But she kept going, as if I hadn't said anything.

"He pulls me up, and then he says, 'I've never-'" Chloe swallows thickly and squeezes my hands again. "He says, 'I've never been more disappointed in you. Reduced to begging on street corners for money.'" Chloe hiccups and claps a hand over her mouth. She's trembling violently now, and I turn her around and make her lay down under the covers.

"And it's true, Alek! I...I'm so worthless. My father, wherever he is in heaven, I think that he's disappointed in me. He's probably _so_ disappointed in me, and I hate that. He's always encouraged me to become a writer, because that's what I love to do, but now I've completely given up that dream. And the one thing my father hated was a quitter."

I stared at her flushed cheeks, her unruly curls. She had a soft splay of freckles across her nose, and her lips were pink and full.

I smiled at her, still sitting on top of her covers.

"You're beautiful."

Chloe blinked at me in surprise, her deep blue eyes sparkling. She let out a soft laugh.

"That, Mr. Petrov," she kissed my hand. "Was extremely off-topic but incredibly sweet at the same time. Thank you."

"I assure you though, Chloe, that your father is not disappointed in you. Anyone to have somebody like you in their life is lucky. He sees that without money, you couldn't possibly become a writer..." I trailed off. "And don't you just hate that? How the world revolves around money..."

I smirked.

"But guess what, Chloe."

"Hmm?"

"I have money."

Chloe blinked at me, shocked, and then sat up again.

"Alek! No...I couldn't ever let you waste your money on me. I'm...there's a possibility that people might not even like my work. And your parents would never approve."

"Who said my parents had to know? And please, Chloe, isn't this what you wanted? To get out of the estate, and be doing what you've always wanted to do? Isn't this your dream? It wouldn't be a waste of money at all."

Chloe went quiet.

"Nothing," she said. "Not even my dream job, is worth leaving you and Jasmine. Amy and Paul. Kit. This is my family now, Alek. I couldn't possibly leave you."

I grinned, happy that she wanted to stay with us.

We could make this work.

This love, our love, was going to work out.

Because nobody ever said that love was easy.

"Then stay," I breathed, leaning down to kiss her. "You can stay with me. And become a writer."

Suddenly, the door burst open again.

Chloe groaned. "Again?"

I chuckled, but straightened up and stood, expecting one of Chloe's worker friends, or even Jasmine. But what I saw shocked me, and I breathed in a sharp breath through my teeth.

There, standing in the doorway, was my mother.


	6. Watch Me

_Suddenly, the door burst open again._

_Chloe groaned. "Again?"_

_I chuckled, but straightened up and stood, expecting one of Chloe's worker friends, or even Jasmine. But what I saw shocked me, and I breathed in a sharp breath through my teeth._

_There, standing in the doorway, was my mother._

**Chloe's POV**

I felt Alek tense up beside me, and he inhaled in a sharp gasp through his nose. I stared at the woman with wide eyes. Mrs. Petrov, one of the most influential and powerful women in the country. And she was standing in my room, one of the worker's quarters, somehow knowing that her son would be here with me.

"Mother," Alek said, nodding his head, his ever-calm facade already slipping into place. "What are you doing here? I thought you claimed that I was responsible enough to take care of my own manor and my little sister."

The beautiful woman, all strong bone structure and straight features, lifted a dark eyebrow. "And I've come to check up on my children, to see my only son wrapped up in bed with a..." She scrunched her delicate nose up and looked at Chloe as if she were a dead rat on the kitchen floor. "A _worker_. So, might I ask, what in the _world _is going on here?"

Alek took a deep breath. "This confession is coming a lot sooner than I expected," he muttered.

He squared his shoulders, kept his chin high, and looked her in the eye. "Mother, after these couple days, I've realized that I do not wish to be betrothed to Lady Miriam any longer."

Mrs. Petrov let our a disbelieving laugh and quirked an eyebrow. Her mouth was pulled up into a sneer. "Oh? And you think you have a say in whom you marry, is that right, Aleksandr?"

I saw a muscle in his jaw pop, and he took a deep breath.  
>"As a matter of fact, <em>Mother, <em>I do. I've met someone who is much greater than Lady Miriam, in looks, personality...Miriam is just a spoiled brat who hasn't lifted a finger in her entire life."

Mrs. Petrov's face contorted into one of anger.  
>"<em>Aleksandr. <em>Don't you _dare _talk like that in front of anybody – do you know how degrading that could be for your social standards? Belittling someone, especially a wealthy someone, could very well call up a duel. And I'm guessing, from the way you are clutching her hand, that this young lady is your new 'someone'?"

"Yes, as a matter of fact, she is."

Mrs. Petrov just sighed and shook her head. "She's a worker, Aleksandr. She's not even anywhere _near _our family's social -"

"I don't _care _about social standards, Mother!" Alek shouted. I jumped at the volume of his voice. "What is the point? What is the point of living if your life is lived for you? I want to love whom I love, no matter how poor or rich they are. I want to do what I want to do, no matter how socially degradable it is. I want to _live my own life_."

Mrs. Petrov squared her shoulders and held her chin up high, and took slow, deliberate steps toward us. I automatically moved to take steps back, but Alek squeezed my hand.

"Well, _darling_," she spat the word out, the term of endearment becoming a term of spite off her lips. "That is not how the world works. That is not how the world will _ever _work. You're born, your parents pick your lover _for _you, love her or hate her, it doesn't matter. It's all about business, Aleksandr. The world runs about business and money and the wealthy. 'Love' and 'living a happy life' and 'doing what you want' is a child's tale – it will never be."

By the time she was finished talking, she was right in front of us. I could smell her citrus scented perfume, see the powder on her face, the pearls that clutched at her neck. Alek glared at her, his jaw still working.

"Well _I _am not going to live the life you give me. Because I hate it, Mother. I hate it, and if you force me to marry Miriam, I will hate _you_."

Mrs. Petrov's eyes widened involuntarily, and her breath caught. She blinked several times, and swallowed.

"Well, then. Aleksandr, from this moment on, you have lost the only mother you will ever have."

And with that, she spun on her heel and clacked out, leaving deafening silence in behind her. My heart thumped ridiculously hard in my chest. I didn't even know why I was so afraid of her – she was just a woman. But she was a wealthy, powerful woman, who also was the woman who gave birth to the man I may or may not love.

I turned to him and placed a hand on his cheek, the other still clutched tightly in his. Slight stubble working along his jaw scratched my fingers, and I ran my thumb over his cheekbone. He was staring at the ground, face expressionless.

"Alek..."

He just shook his head, squeezing his eyes together. He caught the hand that was on his face and squeezed it, so he was now holding both of my hands with his. He pulled me to him and nuzzled his face into my neck, embracing me tightly.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, placing a light kiss on my collarbone. Alek stayed nuzzled in my neck, and I went on tip-toe and wrapped my arms around his neck.

"It's not your fault. None of this is your fault. Don't be sorry," I soothed. I ran a hand through his soft hair, and he sighed. I could feel his long eyelashes brush my cheek, and I shivered.

He pulled back, his eyebrows pulled together. "Cold?"

Before I could respond, he led me to the bed and pulled back the covers for me. I slipped under and held out a hand for him.

He laid down next to me and pulled my thin sheet around both of us, cocooning us in. I scooted up and nuzzled my face into his neck, his scent enveloping me fully. He kissed the top of my head and wrapped his arms around my waist.

"I hate her," he whispered. "I hate her and I'm _not _going to marry Miriam. I'd rather die than not be with you."

I quickly shook my head. "Alek...I don't see how we're going to get around this."

"Then consider me dead."

My throat constricted. "Stop _saying _that. You have no idea how much it frightens me."

"Really, though. What's the point of living if you can't make your own choices? Why did God create us into a life that we can't even control? I think we're messing everything up. I think we're living life the wrong way," Alek pulled back and looked into my eyes, fire burning behind his warm brown irises.

I raised my hand to push a few stray hairs out of his eyes. "And I agree. But we're just two people. We can't change society, no matter how much we want to."

Alek smirked, and tucked a hand under my chin. He leaned in, and I tilted my head up in anticipation.

Centimeters from my lips, he breathed out, "Watch me."

And he closed the space, our lips connecting. And he intoxicated me, his scent, his voice, his eyes, everything. Just the way he cupped one of my cheeks with his warm hands while he kissed me softly, always careful, made my knees go weak.

He pulled away, and repeated, "Watch me."

**iWant9Lives2Live: AHAHA oh my gosh, thank you! [: I hope you liked this chapter. ^_^ Sorry for the wait. :/ **

**HRkay3396: Thank you so much. [': And yes, I'll always finish my stories! Thanks for reviewing. **

**mysterygirl96: Thank _you! _Sorry it took so long for me to update. D: **

**A: Ahh, you're so sweet. :'D Thank you! **

**Zevielove: And that's all you need to say.[; Ahaha, thank you so much! **

**TwilightFreak28: Sorry for the wait! Hope you liked this chapter. ^_^ Thanks for reviewing.**

**BandxGeek123321: Reaction! Hope you liked this chapter? [: Thank you so much for reviewing. **

**panaricanchick: Ahaha nothing _that _drastic yet. But Mrs. Petrov stormed out, where do you think she'll go?[; Thank you so much for reviewing! **

**Ghibly101: Sorry for the wait! Hope you liked this chapter. **

**PauPau730: AHAHAAH oh my god, I love you. Your review kind of made my life. No! Anything but Barney re-runs! D: I thought you and I were friends. Friends wouldn't do that to each other. /3 Ahaha but really, thank you so much for the review.[: Hope you liked this chapter! **

**SyfyGeek13: Thank you for reviewing! Hope you liked this chapter. ^_^ Sorry for the wait.**

**hottieanimegul: Agh sorry for the long wait! D: I feel terrible. Thank you so much for taking the time to review. **

**Anonymous: Thanks for reviewing! :D I hope you liked this chapter. **

**As I have been saying numerous times up there ^, I'm really sorry for making you guys wait so long. X[ I _thought _that me having summer break would let me update more, but it's just been so busy. Because I have summer school -_-" and my mother is not very fond of me at the moment. :/ **

**So if you read any of my other stories, you would know that I'm going to start doing quotes at the end of each chapter. 'Cause...I dunno. You never know what people are going through, and sometimes a complete stranger saying a quote that fits your situation really helps. I dunno, that's how it is with me. XD **

"**Unless it's mad, passionate, extraordinary love, it's a waste of your time. There are too many mediocre things in life. Love shouldn't be one of them." -Dreams of An Insomniac. **


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